MAKING DANDELION FLOWER OIL

It is easy to make a lovely golden oil from dandelion flowers, to be used directly on your skin, or add to salves and lotions.
Dandelion flower oil is good for the skin.
It can also help heal minor wounds and alleviate pain. Some herbalists use it for shoulder pain.
Susun Weed, noted herbalist, suggests using dandy flower oil for breast massage.
I like 'dandy flower' oil because I think it helps bring you the energy of the sun.

What you need:

On a beautiful, sunny day, when dew or rain have dried off the plants (usually late morning) grab a basket or paper bag and go harvest dandelion flowers. Dandelion

Pick flowers that are almost all the way open or are fully open.
If they’re starting to look a bit wilted or raggedy around the edges, don’t bother with them. They’re past their prime and there are sure to be plenty of younger flowers near by.
Look at your flowers, and shake off any insects. Ants especially like to crawl into the petals and won’t appear until you have the flowers home.
Be aware of where you are picking! Do not take plants closer than a few yards next to a highway or busy street, or from an area you know or suspect is contaminated with lead or other chemicals/heavy metals or dog/animal droppings.
Remember that whatever goes onto your skin gets absorbed into your body to some extent.

When you get home, make your infused oil as soon as possible. The longer the flowers sit around, the faster they will close up and go white, tending toward seeds.

I cut off the stem end of the flower, so that the petals fall apart. I leave the sepals, the green part, with the petals.

Loosely pack the flowers/petals into your clean jar.
Pour in the oil to a little above the top of the plant matter, then take a skewer or chopstick and stir to get air bubbles out.
Screw the lid on tightly.

Label your jar with the date, the herb, and the kind of oil you used.

Check the jar the next day and add more oil if necessary, because the plants may have absorbed some and the level may have dropped. Make sure plant material is completely covered, because any plant matter that is above the oil, in air, can easily cause molding.
You can shake the jar to get the petals and oil to combine more completely.

Depending on your preference you can leave your oil on a sunny windowsill or place it in a dark cupboard.
Either way, put it on a plate or something oil-resistant! Some of the oil will inevitably ooze out of the jar and you don't want oil stains on your surface!

Let this mixture brew for six weeks (if you’re in a hurry, 4 weeks will do), checking it occasionally and stirring out air bubbles.
But after six weeks, your oil may go bad, so don't wait too long!

Using cheese cloth or clean muslin (don’t use a coffee filter or paper towels, the pores are too fine and will clog up), strain out the plant matter.
Squeeze out any leftover oil from the plant matter.

Put your infused oil into another clean, dry jar.
Label this jar also.

The oil will last for several years, especially if you keep it refrigerated or in a cool place.